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(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1.-

' A. D. CLARKE.

ORE GONCENTRA'IOR.4r 4 l No. 291,984. A Patented Jan. 15,1884.

INVENTOR I a. @MM/D BY VOD/MM ATTORNEYS.

y WITNESSES:

` 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. D. CLARKE.

,0R11 GONGBNTRATOR.- ,984. Patented Jan. 15, 1884..

(No Model.)

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

N. Prrzns. Plwmmnagmpnur. wnshingml D, c.

WITNESSES:

UNirEn STATES' PATENT @Eri-CE.

ALEXANDER D. CLARKE, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

ORE-CONCENTRATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 291,984, dated January 15, 1Std,

Application filed October' 1, 1883.

ing the sand, ore, &c., is conducted by an inclined chute, from which screen another in clined chute conducts the water to a transverseI gutter, from which it flows into suitable settling-tanks, &c., the chute that conducts the water from the screen being inclined in the inverse direction from the chute that conducts the water upon the screen.

The invention also consists in various parts and numerous combinations of the same, as will be fully described and claimed hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specication, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l isa plan view of my improved oreconcentrator. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the 4same with the top chute removed and parts broken out. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional elevation of the same onthe line .fr x, Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same on the line e e, Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal and a partly-sectional elevation of the same on the line y y, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a plan' view of a modification of the same.

The water containing the sand with which the gold is mixed is conducted upon an inclined screen, A, by an inclined chute, B, connected with a suitable flume for conducting the water. At its lower end the screen A is provided with a spout or short chute, A', upon which the stones, 81e., that remain on the screen can slide and can drop from the same upon a chute, C, which has about the same inclination as and is arranged under the chute B, and extends from a transverse tank or box, D, down to a gutter or chute'for carrying off the stones, 8:0., or can be extended tothe river (No model.)

or to any other place where the stones, Ste., are to be deposited. The transverse tank D is provided with a filter, E, at each side of the rear end Opening of the chute C, which filter may consist of a cage filled with sage-brush,

shavings, Snc.

Below the screen A a chute, F, is provided, which is inclined in the inverse direction of the chutes B and C, the lower end of the said chute F being connected to a transverse gutter, G, the bottom of which is inclined outward and downward from the lower end of the chute F. rIhe transverse gutter G is provided with partitions G', which are inclined from the middle of the box toward the ends and toward the front of the gutter, so as to throw the water rushing from the chute F into the gutter G toward the front side of the said gutter. On the upper surface of the bottom of the gutter a series of rifiies, c, are provided, which are inclined from the rear toward the front of the gutter and from the middle toward the ends, as shown in Fig. 1, which riffles conduct the water toward openings b, formed in the bottom of the front of the gutter, which openings can be closed by vertically-sliding gates G2. From the bottom of the gutter G the water ilows into a settling box, tank, or pocket, H, the front of which is inclined upward at quite an acute angle and the rear of which is inclined bacl ward at an obtuse angle. From the top 0f the front of the pocket an inclined platform, J, extends downward and forms a chute, provided at its front with an inclined wall, H, which conducts the water into the chute C. The inclined platform J is divided into two or more lparts by one or more longitudinal vertical partitions, H2. y At the angle formed at the bottom of the settling box or pocket H avertical partition, l. is erected, parallel with the length of the said pocket, which partition is provided` at the bottom with openings, which can be closed by Avertically-sliding gates l', by means of which gates the quantity of water and sand flowing from the pocket over the inclined platform J can be regulated. i

Atl the rear end of the pocket H a basket, K, islprovided, parallel with the gutter G and with the pocket H, which basket contains liltering materials, through which the water pass- IOO Cfr

ing from the pocket H toward the rear must pass. h From the rear of the pocket aninclin'ed platform, L, extends down toward the tank D, on which inclined platform L two or more hinged vertical partitions, L', as shown in Figs. l and 6,V are provided, which divide the platform L into two or more parts, which Ypartitions can be adjusted to make the space through which the water can pass wider or narrower, according to the speed, &c., that the water is to have.

If desired, a wedge-shaped block, H, can

be provided in the middle of the rear wall of the gutter G, to conduct the water toward the two ends of the gutter, as shown in Fig. 2.

In place of having one platform J and one platform L, each subdivided into several parts, in accordance with the number of tanks II, each tank, if more than one provided, may have its own platform or platforms independent of the platforms of the otherltanks. In case one platform J or L is provided, the surface may be subdivided in accordance with the number of tanks; but all subdivisionsA must have the saine inclination. If each tank has a separate platform, they may have different` iclines. I

The operation'in a placer-niineis asfollowsz- The machine, having been set up, is connectedl with the mine by a continuation of the sluicev or chute B. lIn the head of this sluice, `where it leaves the mine, is put a gate, whehholds back the auriferous gravel or earth for ashort time, while it permits thewater to'flowover it.` The water, having been turned on,"flows over the gate in the head of the sluice or chute B, passes through the screen A, falls uponlthe apron or chute F, by which it is coluluctedinto the transverse gutter G, and 'by this gutter distributed into the tanks H, and the gates I being closed,'it flows overthe inclined platform L into the 'tank D, and through theiilter E to the chute C, by which it finds itsway to the dump. Vhen al current of wateris running through the chute C Vstrong enough to carry "off any stones that maydrop into'it from the screen A through the chuteA, the gate in the head of thefsluice is 'taken out or raised, so that the gravel maybe vcarried by the water flowing through sluice or chute B to the concentrator. The particles of '-'gold and sand line enough to passiwithl'the water throughthe openings in the screen A 'fall'upon the apron, sluice, or chute F, and are by it conducted intol the transverse; gutter G,"and

are conductedby the ritlles a throught-he openings'b into the tank Should therebe any nuggets of 'gold in thegravel too large to go through the screen A, they can beY saved by ordinary riffles placed inv slui'ce or chute C below the point where thestones drop into it from chute A. Vhen 'the `gravel'jha-s comsaidl tanks H.

tom of the tank H to pass upward and over the front of the said tank onto the platform J, on which blankets, amalgamated plates, or rifiles may be placed to catch the particles of gold. The sand will be carried upward and over the front of tank H, because the column of water on the inside of lpartition I next to the transverse gutter G will be always several inches higher than it is on the outside. rl`he water at the bottom of tank H is forced out as long as the gate I is left open, carrying the sand with it. The heavy sand and gold pass out ofthe tank H fast they come in,'and they are flowed direct-ly over the blankets, amalgamated plates, or riftles on platform J and lodged thereon, the water iiowing into the chute C, where it assists in carrying off the stones that drop into chute C from chute As no table vor platform, whether covered with blankets, anialgamated plates, or rifes, should have more sand than it can take care of properly, the iiow of the water and sand into each tank H and over its corresponding tables or platforms J and L is regulated by the vertically-sliding gates G in transverse 1 l gutter G and I in partition I. By means `of these gates any tank may bc shut off when it is desired to clean up theblankets, am al gamated plates, or riiiles over which the sand and water fromthis.particular tank flow, while the lrest` of the concentrator runs on.- Asufcient number of tanks I-I is placed upon each side of" the chute B to take care of all the sand and gold heavy enough to sink in the waterin Should any of the tanks become iilled and the'heavy sand begin to nd `its way over the platform L, it shows that that 'particular tank is getting too much sand,and la portion ofthe sand must be diverted to some other tank, or the number of tanks must be increased. Noparticles of sand `or gold but -such as are light enough to float upon orbe held in suspension in the water should pass over the platform L, on which blanket-s or Under some conditions it may be necessary that the greater' portion of the water should pass over the platform J, `in which case there may not' be 'enough left to flow over the whole 'of the inclined surface of the platform L. In this case two hinged vertical partitions, L',

"are provided, which can be adjusted to make the space through which the water can pass wider or narrower, according to the quantity of water and the speed it is desired it should have. When the greater portion ofthe water lpasses 'over platform L, then each tank "H should have its own portion of platform-Linta'ct, andthe surface of the platform L would besub'divided in-to as many parts, by longitudinal partitions, as there are tanks H. There lare two currents 'flowing simultaneous- ICO IIO

'amalgamated plates can be placed, if desired.

by the filters K. 'If they escape filters and do not fall to the surface of theblanket or amalgama-ted plates in the very slow and gentle current which flows over platform L, they are caught by filters E before the water finally escapes into chute C. f

In the moditleation shown in Fig. 6, the water is conducted by the chute B upon the screen A, and at the ends of the screen two laterally-inclined chutes, A2, are provided, to conduct the stones into two' chutes, M M, which are inclinedk downward from the tankv D, about parallel with the chute B, but below the same. At the front the two chutes M are united to form one chute, N, to conduct the water, Src., down to the river, the water flowing down the inclined platform J and into the chutes M. Otherwise the construction is the same as described above.

In place of providing the hinged partitions L on the incline L, a single longitudinal partition, M, can be provided, which divides the incline L into two parts, as shown in one part of Fig.

It will be observed that all the water that passes through the apparatus is used to carry off the stones that have been carried over the screen A by the water rushing` through the chute B. In order that the water -that flows from the pockets H may have sufficient headway when it arrives at the end of the chute C, the chute F must be inclined in the inverse direction of the chute B-that is, the water that is to carry off the stones, &c., must bekgin to ilow downward some distance back from the front end of the screen A or chute C, which distance must be sufficient to give the water the desired headway. The essential i'eatures remain the same in the modification, as in both eases the water, after having passed through the screen, so as to separate the stones from the sand, Ste., passes into a gutter, G, and, when the heavy particles of sand are separated by gravitation from the float, gold is carried backward over suitablyinclined platforms into a tank containing lters, and the heavy sand containing the particles of gold is washed upward and over blankets in front of the gutter, so that the particles of gold adhere to t-he blankets or amalgamated plates placed on the said inclined platforms, and in all cases all the water is used for carrying oft' the stones, &c.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The combination, in an ore-eoncentrator, of an inclined chute for conducting the water containing the sand, ore, &c., the screen for receiving the same, an additional chute inclined downward in the inverse or opposite direction of the first-mentioned chute, and settling tanks or boxes, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an ore-concentrator, the combination, with an inclined chute, of a screen arranged `at thelower end of the same, a chute inclined from the bottom of the screen in the inverse or opposite direction of the chute through which the water is conducted upon the screen, a transverse gutter arranged at the lower end of the latter chute, and a settling-tank into which the water is conducted that iiows from the gutter, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an ore-concentrator, the combination, with an inclined chute, B, of a screen, A, upon which the water, stones, and sand are conducted by the said chute B, a chute, F, inclined from the screen A in the inverse or opposite direction of the chute B, and a transverse gutter, G, at the lower end of the chute F, the chute C, inclined about in the same direction as the said chute B, into which chute C the water is conducted which has passed into the transverse gutter G, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth. l

4. In an ore-concent-rator, the combination, with the inclined chute B, of the screen A at the lower end of the same, the chute F, inclined from the screen in the inverse direction of the chute B, a transverse gutter, G, at the base of the chute F, a settling-tank below the chute F, inclined platforms at the front and rear of the said settling tank or pocket, and a chute, C, inclined in the same direction as the chute B, into which chute C water from the settling tank or pocket is conducted, substantia-ily as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth. l

5. In an ore-concentrator, the combination, with a chute, B, of a screen, A, arranged at the lower end of the same, a chute, F, inclined from the screen in the inverse direction of the chute B, a transverse gutter, G, at the lower end of the chute F, a settling tank or pocket, H, a tank, D, and the chute C, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

6. In an ore-eoncentrator, the combination, with the chute F, of the transverse gutter G, into which water is conducted, the gates G2, for closing the apertures b -in the front of the gutter, and the inclined rifiles a on the floor of the gutter, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

IOO

IIO

7. In an ore-eoncentrator, thecombination,

with the chute F, of the 'transverse gutter G, provided with apertures Z1, gates G2, the pocket or settling-tank H, the partition I, and the gates I', substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

8. In an ore-concentrator, the combination, with the chute F, of the transverse gutter G, the settling tank or pocket H, into which the water ows from the gutter G, and a iilter arranged in the settling tank Qr pocket H in front of or behind the gutter G, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose Set forth.

9. Inan ore-concentrator, the combination,

with an inclined chute, B, of a screen, A, at the lower end of the same, a chute, F, i11- elined from the screen Ain the inverse direction of the chute B, a transverse gutter, G, at

` the base of the chute F, tanks or pockets H,

the chute C, inclined about in the saine direction as the chute B, and means for conducting the water that flows from the gutter G- into settling tanks or pockets and into the chute C, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

10. The combination, with an inclined. chute,

B, of the screen A, the chute F, the transverse gutter G, the settling tank` or pocket H,

the partitions I, having gates I', the inclined x5 platform J in front of the settling` tank or 

